The Shaolin Virtue of Perseverance

Ancient Shaolin wisdom teaches us to follow 6 key virtues in our lives as a means to achieve peace in our hearts. In this article we explore the Shaolin Virtue of Perseverance.

What is Perseverance?
The standard dictionary for perseverance means to continue even though it may be difficult. For example, one may be having a hard time finding a job due to the economy or lack of experience and skills but one perseveres by continuing to search and not giving up.

The Shaolin Virtue of Perseverance extends this meaning to incorporate the idea that one does their best. This implies judgement and intelligence to determine when enough is enough and to accept that an alternate path is fine. In the above example, did one explore every avenue to enhance the probability of finding the job? Did one continue to improve the resume, improve his or her interviewing skills, find more job sources, etc? If so and still unsuccessful, perhaps a different job should be considered or one needs to enhance their skills and experience in a different way? The economy might not be in one’s favour or perhaps one is unable to compete with others who have a better resume and experience.

In our Shaolin Kids Kung Fu program, kids are taught the Shaolin Virtue of Perseverance. During the ‘ma bu’ horse stance, they do not give up and instead hold the stance as long as they can… but still with an exception. They are taught that it is okay if their thigh muscles are in pain and to continue even if their legs are shaking. However, if their joints hurt then it is okay to stop and go higher to alleviate some stress. If our kids are taught to continue ma bu despite joint pain, it could lead to permanent injury.

Applying Perseverance
We often face difficulty in many things we do and aim for, whether going for a promotion, a higher salary, completing a research project, getting healthier, acing a test, and even raising children. We begin with great determination and when obstacles are in the way this slowly fades into frustration and despair.

Here are 3 key tips for applying perseverance:

1. Prepare yourself: Understand your objectives
You need to understand what you want to work towards and what determines success for you. Are your objectives realistic? Will it be difficult and how? If you persevere and reach your goals, what are the benefits and would they impact others in a negative way?

2. Remind yourself: Don’t lose sight of your objectives
During your journey to success, you will need to regularly remind yourself what your objectives are and assess where you are at now. What corrective actions can you take to get back on track? For example, if your goal is be able to do the horse stance for 20 minutes, how long can you last at the moment before your legs give out? How do you go about planning your training so that you can achieve 20 minutes?

3. Question yourself: Is this still worth pursuing in this manner?
The journey can be very bumpy and you have already faced great obstacles… should you continue or find a different path? If for example you feel you have tried every avenue to get a job and you keep getting turned down, question why you want that particular job in the first place? It’s time to revisit the bigger picture of your dreams and see if there is another way to get there.

Peace in the Heart through Perseverance
Peace in the heart is the sustained achievement of no suffering and negative feelings. As humans we have the capability to feel great suffering which is very uncomfortable. Naturally we find it important to explore means to happiness. Shaolin wisdom teaches us that the source of suffering are our own desires and the existence of the self and yet without desire are we still human?

To achieve happiness we must persevere in our search for this idea of peace in the heart. Can it be attained only through the fulfillment of our desires? i.e. fame, wealth, love, etc. Or can it be attained through the determination to minimize our desires? The answers are not clear. You must follow your own path of perseverance to find this answer.

I was looking for a gym that can help me work out all parts of the body in a harmonious manner. I am not fat but I do have some kind of orange skin on my legs which I have found difficult to get rid of. After a year of training in Shaolin Kung Fu, I saw a significant improvement in my connective tissues and a rejuvenation of my legs. I am very happy with this and am continuing to train and sculpt my body today.
I have also been training in qi gong which has helped to detox my entire body as w…

Charleen M

Away from the city and daily concerns, Shaolin retreat was the only place where I was able to completely relax and evaluate my life while spending hours practicing meditation and Qi Gong with instructor Shi Chang Dao. My first retreat was a life changing experience and I don’t ever want to miss this opportunity again. There is no better chance to take a deep look within yourself and learn basics of Chan philosophy, Shaolin meditation, QiGong and even Kung Fu. I know now that I’ll be going to thi…

Alex M.

For the past 6 months I have been a Shaolin Kung Fu student receiving training under the guidance of Shi Chang Dao. My reason for joining was to learn an ancient martial art form, something which as a child I have always wanted to do. It wasn’t until my late thirties that I finally took the step to sign up for Shaolin Kung Fu classes. Shi Chang Dao is an amazing and fantastic teacher; he is well disciplined in Shaolin and also fun to work with. At the school / temple children and adults learn …

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My experience at the shaolin meditation retreat was fantastic. It was a great way to deepen and learn meditation in a way I had never been shown before. I left feeling empowered and my meditation practice has deepened significantly since my return. I look forward to returning next year!

Genevieve B

My experience at the Warsaw Caves Meditation Retreat embodied my body , mind , spirit and emotion . A safe beautiful environment to nurture myself . Dao’s guidance and leadership during the meditation, Qi gong . and Kung Fu sessions have made a lasting impact on me. I am grateful . Looking forward to learning more about the Shaolin philosophy at the next retreat.

C Boyce

This summer was my second experience at the Shaolin Meditation Retreat in Warsaw caves. It was such an escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life that immediately after, I was already in anticipation of the next retreat!
I initially went knowing nothing about Kung Fu, and very little about meditation, but I knew it was something I needed to incorporate into my busy and often stressful life. I felt a bit intimidated being there and knowing nothing but it was such a welcoming and comfortab…

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I’m not entirely sure where to start with what I like about the Shaolin Temple Quanfa Institute!
Location: Conveniently located downtown in Chinatown, those of us living downtown have access to a unique community focused on physical and mental health based on an ancient Chinese tradition infused with modern technology and gamification.
Activities: My boys 5 and 7 were drawn to the Kung Fu activities immediately on our trial day. The workout they got in the one and a half hour class resulte…

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I started Martial Arts in Markham, Ontario with Master Shi-Guo Song. The first class was a clear Indication for me to embrace the nature of Kung Fu.
Later, In 2010 Dao Shi had started STQI In Chinatown, Downtown, Toronto. I have been with the school since then. It took me almost 1.5 years to adapt the practice of Chi-Gong and Kung Fu. I saw many positive personal results that has helped me overcome lot of fears and increase my emotional IQ. Classes are fun, productive with a flexible schedule…

Mandee

I have been a kung fu student of Shi Dao for just under one year now, at the downtown school. I joined because I was always interested in kung fu, and wanted to learn from an authentic Shaolin school and teacher. As I found out, this school is as authentic as you can get!
Dao is a 35th generation disciple of an actual Shaolin monk, and he is very knowledgeable about not only kung fu and qi gong, but also the philosophical, mental and spiritual sides of the Shaolin arts. At the school you will…